New Charity Investigation: Darul Uloom School London
Charity Commission opens statutory inquiry into Darul Uloom School London
The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has opened a statutory inquiry into Darul Uloom School London over concerns about potential misconduct and mismanagement at the charity. The inquiry was opened on 15 June 2018.
The charity’s object is for the advancement of education and religion in accordance with the tenets and doctrines of Islam. The charity provides Islamic and national curriculum education to children and young people.
The Commission received a serious incident report from the charity after police arrested one of the charity’s trustees, and seized weapons and cash held at the charity’s premises. The individual was also a teacher and designated safeguarding lead at the school. The Commission therefore, immediately after opening the inquiry, exercised its powers under section 76(3)(a), suspending the individual as trustee, officer and agent of the charity. A second individual, also a trustee and headteacher at the school, was also arrested.
On 13 June the Secretary of State submitted a complaint to Westminster Magistrates Court under section 120(1)(b) of the Education and Skills Act 2008 for an order that the school be removed from the register of independent schools – the consequence of which is that it would no longer be able to operate. A hearing took place on 15 June and was adjourned until 22 June where a settlement between the Department for Education and the charity was reached.
The scope of the inquiry will include:
- the management and oversight of the charity by the trustees – including the financial management of the charity and whether conflicts of interest are being properly identified and managed by the trustees
- the conduct of the arrested individuals
The Commission continues to work with the Metropolitan Police, the DfE and Bromley Council in whose authority the independent school, operated by the charity, resides. It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were.
Reports of previous inquiries by the Commission are available on GOV.UK.
Notes to editors
- The Charity Commission is the regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work see the about us page on GOV.UK.
- Search for charities on our check charity tool.
- Section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission the power to institute inquiries. The opening of an inquiry gives the commission access to a range of investigative, protective and remedial legal powers.
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